Blue Bird Celebrates 90th anniversary record

2015 marked the 90th anniversary of Sir Malcolm Campbell achieving a new World Land Speed record of 150mph at Pendine Sands, South Wales, in the 350hp Sunbeam (renamed Blue Bird by Campbell).

Ninety years to the day, the National Motor Museum marked the occasion with a commemorative low-speed demonstration run with the Sunbeam back at Pendine Sands at 4pm on 21 July. Hundreds of spectators watched the commemorative run of this historic car which was driven by Sir Malcolm’s grandson, Don Wales, himself a Land Speed Record holder.

Supporting the run was the 1933 aero-engined Napier Railton Special, which holds the all-time lap record of 143.44mph at Brooklands. The Napier-Railton has its own unique history at Pendine, having been the star of the 1951 movie Pandora and The Flying Dutchman. In the film, the car is used for an attempt on the Land Speed Record, which the action sequences filmed on Pendine Sands. Owned by Brooklands Museum since 1977, the Napier-Railton also made a few runs along the sand at Pendine, with Museum Director and CEO, Allan Winn, in the driving seat.